Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24

Spelling the Symmetry Of the Great
Capital City OF the Future.

Capital City OF the Future.
A PROPERTY OWNER LANES1s TIE LAYING OCT OF
| NARROW SUBURBAN sTREErs-ExrANsroN OF WASH
| INGToN-MPRovENKNTs IN AND ABOUT TIE CRY
BANKING AND OFFICE BUILDINGS, ETC.
"There is a feature about the subdivision OF
| suburban property that don't ike recently re-
| marked a property owner OF considerable extent
| to a STAR reporter. The conversation had turned
| TO this subject, and the gentleman had given his
views very freely on the present and future out
look for real estate In the city and District. He
| had said that he had watched with great deal OF
| interest the rapid progress that had been made
| during the past two years In changing the large
tracts OF ground lying outside OF the city limits
from agricultural land into city lots. "Sone peo-
| pie" he went on, ''Seem to think that there is
entirely too much land subdivided and that the
| whole business has been overdone. They look
upon oil this activity in suburban property as q
| kind OF craze, which like all speculative move
| ments OF this sort is sure 10 come TO disastrous
end. don't exactly agree with this view or the
matter IL is true that there has been a great
| deal OF suburban property placed on the market
| while there has been ready sale for great deal
OF It, still the purchasers seem TO be largely OF a
class who buy for investment and speculation
rather than TO secure themselves homes In con-
| sequence there has not been much building
done outside OF the city limits. But this is a
feature OF all movements OF this kind.
The land Is opened up by specuia-
tors, and after a while the house builders
step In and begin their work or improvement.
| speculation generally goes much faster than the
| improvements. In my opinion the only question
whether the latter will ever catch up with the
Development OF the city. II this city is TO stand
still, the population to receive no further addi.
| lions, and business to make no advance, then, OF
course. all this Investment in suburban property
| Is craze and delusOn, and Will only bring ruin
upon those who have invested their money. But
1t Is easy TO understand that among the possibil.
tS tpsr
more evident than that the reverse OF all this Is
true. There can be no doubt that this capital is
| destined to be great metropolis, aud that the
prediction made by GOV. shepherd few weeks ago
that in fifteen or twenty years the population here
would number one million is bound 10 come true.
II Is now one OF the most attractive and desirable
places OF residence in the country, and that or IT.
self Will bring Eere class OF people who have the
means and time to make the social attractions Tar
exceed those OF any place in the country. These
people build fine residences here. They invest
Their money here, too, and they give impetus 10
| all business, as their money indS Its Way from
their pockets into the usual channels OF daily life.
Then the Government Is all the time extending
and enlarging its various branches as the growth
OF The country makes IL necessary, and as there
seems to be no danger OF the development OF the
country being checked the prospects for the ru-
ture OF the city are based on pretty sure fOunda-
lions. The present limits OF the city will inevita-
bly, be enlarged, so as to include great part OF
the outlying land, and then the lots, now suburb.
an, VIII become real city lots. While there is no
doubt about this, still 1t affords no justification
Tor the payment OF prices now which would be
%.
That brings me TO point" he went on, .'that
l started out TO explain. ! said that there was
one feature about the suburban divisions which
Old not like. l mean the narrow streets You
viii find subdivisions lying near the'bOundary OF
the city, and which Will naturally be included
| Wltnln the city limits, should they be extended,
that have streets so and GO 1eet In width. Within
the limits OF the city all the Streets With but very
few exceptions. are 80 feet in width at least md
this is conceded by all TO be or the clements
that go TO make up the attractiveness OF our city
II the future city Is 10 elicit the admiration OF
& IN lay.
something done at once with the suburban Subii-
Visions before they are built up. There a bali
Iilssioners the power which they do not now pos
sess Ut regulating the method or subdiv1ding prop.
erty. Ihls bill did not pass and In consequence
| always been done In this vicinity. with the view
| or realizing TO the original owners as much money
as possible and rapidly as possible. The TACT is
that all the property lying along the edge OF the
city should be subdlvided so tnat it can be made
additions TO the city. Then, when the time coines
| VIII be no necessity for strai ghtening cut the
crooked streets and widening the narrow streets.
of al tiie Immense tracts OF land that have been
suDuVlled there are only Two In which the streets
are laid out IN conformity with the plan OF the city
and In these cases the actual work OF opening the
streets has not yet been done. Unless there Is
something or this kind done at once it will involve
the expenditure OF large sums OF money in the
| future
| ANOTHER LARGE OFFICE BUILDING
The large five-story Office building which Mt.
ner OF AZ street and Indiana avenue will be ready
| FOR occupancy on the first OF the month. Mr. Fen
dail liza, determined 10 erect similar building on
the ground Immediately east OF the present build.
Ing. The new structure VIII be addition to the
| present building, the latter having been planned
with this end In view. The erection OF the new
peted the entire structure will have frontage OF
TO feet Will be five stories HIGH and Will be one OF
tue largest Office buildings Ia The city.
IMPROVEMENTS IN BANKING BUILDINGS.
The recent Improvements in the buildings occu.
pied by number OF the banks OF this city have
been very noticeable. The Bank OF the Republic
has RENTED the interior in a very handsome STYLE
and so altered the arrangements that its business
has been greatly facilitated.
The Farmers and Mechanics National Bank OF
| West Washington has almost entirely remodeled
the building which 1t mas occupied for so many
years, and while not changing the outlines or the
structure, which has now become historic has
| made such alterations as the requirements OF mod
ern banking business demanded. A description OF
this improvement has been printed in THE STAR
The Central National Bank, as has been pub
lshed, mas purchased the st. Marc HoIei 6ui,dlaS.
| which Is now being remodeled for the use OF the
bank. When the building is ready for the occu-
building OF the Bank OF Washington will be given
up and the latter institution Will begin some ex-
alterations n In Its building
will be fitted up In handsome modern style.
| AS is known, the Columbia National Bank,
| which Is occupying rented quarters is building
| fine marble front structure on street, which is
| nearly finished 1t has been constructed eSpeci-
| ally for the banking business, and VIII be com.
| plete In all its appointments.
| The directors Of the Metropolitan Bank, on 18th
| street, have now under consideration plans for
| some extensive alterations In their building
| which IL is thought Will be great improvement
| and OF advantage to those having business with
| the bank: The Improvements which have been
made and are now In progress or in contempla-
tion In the bank buildings are evidences OF the
crease in the business and the increasing needs OF
| a growing city.
| SOME SUBURBAN HOUSES
Mr.. George Truesden is building in the new
| subdivision OF lexington, which lies at the head
| OF New York ave., five cottages, which have been
| designed by the same architect who built the
| houses erected by this gentleman on Washington
Heights. They are to be frame houses OF o very
pretty design, and Will be finished In good style
hard wood being used on the first noOrs. The
| houses will lie supplied with water from q stand
| pipe which will Le erected on the grounds The
the city supply IL is the intention to continue the
work OF opening and grading the streets OF this
| subdivision as soon as the question now In the
courts is settled OF the extension OF street. As
| the streets Will he OF the same width and will
follow the same lines or the city Streets IL is re-
| garded as an addition to the city.
| MRS. PEET's NEW RESIDENCE.
! Another handsome residence from designs OF T.
F. schneider, architect, Will be started in few
| days for Mrs. NJ. c. Peet, On the south side of U
| street, between Goth and 21St streets northwest
just west OF Major Schwan's residence, which has
| Just been begun. Mrs Peet's house Will have q
! frontage or 22 feet and depth or 80 feet, and